Water-brake attachment for hydraeroplanes.



Y H. C'. MUSTIN.

A WATER BRAKE ATTACHMENT FOR HYDRAEROPLANES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18. 1915.

1,160,525. Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

a SHEETS-SHBET 1.

I 9111449100124 M .1111). y WW1 H. C. MUSTIN.

WATER BRAKE ATTACHMENT roR HYDRAEROPLANES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I8. 1915.

Patented Nov; 16, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. H. c. MUST IN. WATER BRAKE ATTACHMENT FOR HYDRAEROPEA'NES.

' APPLICATION F|LED-7FEB.,I8; 1915. I

1,160,525. Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

3 EEEEEEEEEEEE 3.

nnnnr c. MUSTIN, on THE." UNITED s'rarns NAVY.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY'C. MUSTIN,.

lieutenant commander, United States Navy, a citizenof the United States, stationed at Washington, in the District of Columbia, I have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water-Brake Attachments for Hydraeroplanes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention relates to improvements in. water brake attachment for hymore or less serious, and it is the object of this i vention to obviate these as far as practicable, and to provide an apparatus by which the aeroplane may be brought to rest upon the water without injury to itself, or to its occupants, and irrespective of the nature of the surface of the water,'or of cur.- rents of air blowing at an angle to the ver tical plane in which the longitudinal axis of'the aeroplane lies, or in which'the aeroplane may be said to be heading.

Among the functions to be performed by the water brake attachment are the follow- 1ng:-- a

(1) Before the pontoons or flotation members make contact with the water, it is desirable to retard the speed of flight, by applying, without violence, at a point in rear of the center of gravity of the aeroplane, such a vertical downward component of the pull on the water brake connection as willcause the nose of the aeroplane to tilt up, or

will rotate the aeroplane about its transverse axls of lnertia in such a d1rect1on as will make the lifting surface assume a larger angle of incidence, and consequently will make it increase its head resistance. This force component should be applied, pref era-bly, in such a manner that the center of gravity of the aeroplane will not rise mate rially; and, also, that the center of gravity WATER-BRAKE Ar'rAcHMENrr FOR HYDRAEROPLANES.

' r I Specification of Letters Patent. Patehted NO '16, 191,5,

Application'filed February 18, 1915. Serial No. 9,096. l

of the aeroplane will not settle materially until the-speed'of flight has fallen to the lowest speed of sustentation that the design of the aeroplane makes it capable of main.- taining.

2 Coincident with the application of.

the above-mentioned vertical component, it

is desirable to apply a brake-like action to further retard the speed of flight by applying a horizontal component of the pull on the water brake connection, which drags backward in a direction opposed to the line of flight.

These first two functions areifor the pur motion relative to the water, generally known as skidding,, and the velocity of which lateral motion will depend upon the force and direction of the horizontal com- 1 members out into the water, as near as possible, in a vertical plane or planes parallel to the vertical plane comprising the true trajectory of the aeroplane, irrespective of the angle to which these flotation members may be tilted fore and aft, due to the tilting of the longitudinal axis of the aeroplane. It is desirable, therefore, to apply the drag or brake so that the aeroplane will head as nearly as practicable in line with its true trajectory.

(4) When the aeroplane lands in water that is rough enough to cause the forward ends of the'flotation members to dip into the I crest of the wave, there is a tendency of the aeroplane to tilt forward, or noseunder as it 1s.somet1mes called, or even to turn over about its transverse axls, throwing out the occupants and endangering the machine It is desirable, therefore, to insure that the contact of the flotation members of the aeroplane with the water will be made and maintained at a point or points in rear of the center of gravity of the aeroplane before it is made at a point or of the center of gravity.

hen the aeroplane lands in the water at a very high speed, as, for example,

a when landing with the wind (which is sometimes unavoidable and sometimes even deslrable) there is danger of nosing under,

4 due to the excessive drag of the water on the pontoons, causing the center of gravity of the aeroplane to tilt forward and downward.

(6) W here the pontoons or floating members are used in pairs, when due to the tilting of the transverse axis of the aeroplane,

or due to irregularities in the waves, one of the pontoons strikes the water before the other, there is a tendency to swing the longi- 'tudinal axis of the aeroplane about the vertical axis of \inertia of the aeroplane, re-

sulting in what is sometimes called yaw-= ing, and if this yawing is at all aggravated the aeroplane may be capsized.

These are the principal difficulties encounteredin alighting on the water with a hydraeroplane, and it is to remedy these difiiculties,and others of less importance, that I have provided the apparatus that will now be described.

Referenceis had tothe accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a diagrammatic view showing in side elevation the aeroplane with the brake attachment thrown out and ready for alighting on,the water; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the device shown in F1g. 1; Fig. Bis a similar View to Fig. 1,-showing the brakes in action; Figs. 4 and 5 represtorage in the hydraeroplane, and for towing in the air in such manner that the bridles and their connecting cable will not become twisted or entangled with any part of the brake; Fig. 7 is cross section, on an enlarged scale, through the two brakes along the line 66 of Fig. 6,and shows a method of coupling the two brakes together; and Fig. 8 shows a section along the line 88 I of Fig. 6'on an enlarged scale, and shows a method of detachably connecting the tow rope or cable and bight of the bridle to the upper member of the brake for keeping same from becoming entangled when the dcviceis carried in the aeroplane, or is being towed in air.

The invention 1s adapted for use with any points forward type of aeroplane, whether monoplane, biplane, or the like, and also irrespective of whether the pontoons be used singly or in pairs, or in any other arrangement, or num- To illustrate the application of the device I have shown diagrammatically in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 a simple form of aeroplane comprising a monoplanc A, having a pair of front pontoons B, and a rear and smaller pontoon B; the center of gravity of the aero* plane with its load being indicated by the circle C.

D represents a tow line, preferably in the form of a light wire cable, which terminates 5 in a main bridle D having two branches at and 4, each connected by secondary bridles (Z and (1 respectively, to the corresponding brakes E and E. Thesesecondary bridles- (see Fig. 5) are preferably connected to the wings e and (2*, preferably on transverse lines including, respectively, the centers of pressure of the wings, and tend to brace the same, and also to stabilize the brake members. This tow rope D should be connected to the body of the aeroplane by ayielding connection, such as a'stout coil spring indicated at S in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, or the usual cessive.

type of rubber springs used in aeroplanes may be employed; or it may be'wound on a friction drum, not shown, which. will pay out the cable when the strain becomes ex- Such drums are well known in the various arts, and it is not believed to be necessary to illustrate and describe same herein; but any suitable yielding means may be provided to prevent excessive shock on the aeroplane when the brake first takes the water, or when being dragged from wave to .wave in a heavy sea.

The two brakes E and E are substantially similar in construction, both having preferably a stream-line shaped body portion, as shown, but the lower brake E should be heavier than sea water, and the upper brake E should have reserve buoyancy so as to float in water, whether fresh or salt. This is desirable to insure the normal tendency of the two members to adapt themselves to positions in the same vertical plane. Each brake is provided with similar vertical stabilizing fins and e, corresponding to the dorsal fins of a fish, with a horizontal stabi-' lizing tail e and with laterally-projecting brake wings e and 0*. These brake wings may be plane. or curved, on either, or both sides,

as desired,-but are preferably plane on the engaging surface and curved on their backs,

as shown in Figs. 5 and 6; the brake wing on the upper brake E having its engaging face tilted upward and forward, so as to provide an angle of incidence with the water tending to lift the said brake, and the brake wing onthe lower brake having ,its engaging face .tilted downward and forward, so as to provide anangle of incidence tending to submerge the brake E in the water. i

The relative sizes of the two brake wingsmay be varied also, but I preferably make the brake wing on the lower brake with a greater engaging surface than the brake .wing on the upper brake, so that when both members engage beneath the surface there will be a tendency of the lower member to drag down, owing to the increased pressurebrake, or the angle of incidence of its-brake wings may be-made greater, whereby the lower brake E ma be submerged while the upper brake E skims along the surface of the water.

The lifting action of the tow rope, of course, tends to pull both of the brake members upward out of the water, which is resisted by the wedging downward action of the brake wings on the lower brake E, and is assisted in a measure by the lifting action of the brake wings on the upper brake E. These two brake members E and E are preferably secured or folded together when being carried on the aeroplane, or when being towed through the air, as shown in Figs. 1, 6 and 7, both to economize space, and to keep the towing cable and bridle clear; but

are automatically spread out when engaging with the water, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Referring toFigs. 1, 6, 7 and 8, the upper brake E is provided with a socket e, chambered, as at e ,'to receive the spring grip e, which spring grip engages the longitudinal grooved head 6 of the forward stabilizing fin e of the lower brake E; while the bottom of the tail of the upper brake E rests as assume a position similar, to that shown in on the rear stabilizing fin e of the lower brake E, as shown in Fig. 6.

The tow rope and bridle may be detach ably connected to the brake E in any convenlent way, as by engaging in spring jaws- F secured to the body portion of the brake member aforesaid, as shown in detail in Fig. 8. The tow rope D is fastened to the aeroplane in rear of the center of gravity,- and in such a position that it will pull the tail of the aeroplane downward when the brakes are in operation, and should be at least long enough so that when towing in the air, the brakes will be welLbelow the bottoms of the pontoons. When ready foiuse, they are eased out of the aeroplane and Fig. 1, and on striking the water the in-v creased resistance will cause the tow rope and bridle to pull out of engagement 'with the spring clips F, and will also cause the release of the fin e of the lower brake from the spring clip 6 see Fig. 7, whereupon the parts are free to assume the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5. v The operation of the device is as follows :.-The apparatus is ordinarily stored in any convenient place on the aeroplane, preferably in rear of the operator, and when it is desired to land on the water the tow" r rope is eased out, either by hand, or by the friction drum hereinbefore referred to, so that by the time the aeroplane has flattened out at the end of a glide, the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1. As the aeroplane settles slightly farther, the lower brake E will strike the water, disengaging itself from the upper brake E, and the two brakes will spread out as shown in Fig. 5, riding to the bridle D.

The sudden pull occasioned when the brake attachment first engages the-water will be eased up by the shock absorber S. In a choppy sea, should the upper brake momentarily emerge from the surface, the downward thrust of the I lower brake wing, instead of being partly compensated for by the lift of the upper brake wing, will act singly, tending to cause the lower brake to dive; and preventing the upward lift of the tow line from dragging it out of water. v I

The device can be so designed, that the lifting power of the aeroplane can never exceed the downward drag of the lower brake. If the aeroplane is heading directly into or with the direction of the wind, it

-will merely have. its tail tilted down, as

shown in Fig.3, and will proceed aheadon the original course; but if it is proceeding in a side wind and consequently is not heading in linewith its trajectory, the result of the drag will also cause the bow of the aeroplane to swing around through an angle dependent upon the. force and direction of the wind, and make it bend in its trajectory. The pulling down of thetail of the aeroplane will increase the angle of incidence of the wings thereof, and, therefore, by increasing the drift, will check the forward movement of the aeroplane- The increasing of the angle of incidence, besides increasing the drift, also increases the lift, and while the excess lift remains greater than the downward force component on the tow line the aeroplane will rise. But as the brake can be designed so that its lower member cannot be pulled out of the water by this excess lift, there can be no excessive rearing of the aeroplane. The speed then .is further reduced bythe drag on the tow,

line; and, finally the speed of the aeroplane is so slowed down that it settles in the water with its tail inclined downward, and its pontoons in the proper attitude for a safe landing. The result of this action is that all of the difliculties set out in theparagraphs numbered 16 of this specification are in a large measure overcome.

The device may be adapted'for use on large or small aeroplanes by varying the size, or the angles of incidence, of the brake wings a and 6*. 1

After the hydraeroplane has landed on the water, the tow line should be hauled in, and the brake attachment stowed onboard. In exceptional cases, the brake attachment may be used, if desired, as a drogue while the hydraeroplane is being propelled along the surface of the water; but ordinarily it vshould be hauled in before attempting to make a fresh start in the air or on the water.

It will be obvious that various modifications might be made in the herein described device and in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts which could be used without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A brake attachment for hydraerok planes, comprising a water brake adapted to be drawn through the water, and provided with a body portion and laterally projecting wing surfaces so arranged that their lift forces, caused by motion through the water,

act in opposite directions vertically.

2. A brake attachment for hydraero planes, comprising a water brake adapted to be drawn through the water, and provided with a body portion and laterally projecting wing. surfaces so arranged that their lift forces, caused by motion through the water, act in. opposite directions vertically, with means for stabilizing said wing surfaces.

3..A brake attachment for hydraeroplanes, comprising a water brake adapted to be drawn through the water, and provided with wing surfaces so arranged that their lift forces, caused by motion through the water, act in opposite directions vertically,

said wingsurfaces being so proportioned that their downward lift forces are in excess of their upward lift forces.

4E.-A brake attachment for hydraeroplanes, comprising a water brake adapted to be drawn through the water, and provided with wing surfaces so arranged that their lift forces, caused by motion through the water, act in opposite directions vertically,

said wing surfaces being-so proportioned that their downward lift forces are in excess of their upward lift forc'es,.-with means for stabilizing said wing surfaces.

5. The combination with an aeroplane of a water brake adapted to be drawn through the water by said aeroplane, said water -the water by. said aeroplane, said water brake being provided with wing surfaces so arranged that their lift forces, caused by motion through the water, act in opposite directions vertically, with means for stabilizing said wing surfaces, and means for connecting said brake to said aeroplane at such pointon the latter as will cause the aeroplanes "wings to assume an increased angle of incidence when said brake engages the water.

7.An attachment for hydraeroplanes, comprising separable brakes detachably connected together, with brake wings projecting from each of said brakes, said brake wings being each provided with engaging surfaces adapted to engage the water at an angle, and means for connecting said brakes to the aeroplane.

8. A11 attachment for hydraeroplanes,

comprising separable brakes detachablyconnected together, with brake wings projecting from each of said brakes, said brake wings being each provided with engaging surfaces adapted to engage the water at an angle, and means for connecting said brakes to the aeroplane, with a shock absorber interposed between said brakes and said aeroplane. a

9. An apparatus for braking. aeroplanes, comprising separable brakes, each provided with a body portion and with laterally ex tending brake wings, the said brake wings each having surfaces adapted to engage the water at an angle,a bridle connecting said brakes, and a tow line connecting said bridle with the aeroplane.

' 10. An apparatus for braking aeroplanes,

comprising separable brakes, each provided with a body portion and with laterally extending brake wings, the said brake wings having surfaces adapted to engage the water at. an angle, a bridle connecting said brakes, and a tow line connecting said bridle-with the aeroplane, with. a shock absorber interposed between said brakes and said aero plane. I v

11. An attachment for hydraeroplanes,

comprising a tow line adapted to be secured to the aeroplane, two separable brake mem- Q bers loosely connected to each other and to saidv tow line, stabilizing fins projecting from each of said brake members, and brake wings projecting from each of said brake ferent angles.

12. An attachment for hydraeroplanes, comprising a tow line adapted to be secured to the aeroplane, two separable brake members loosely connected to eachother and to said tow line,'vertical stabilizing-fins pro-' jecting from each of said brake members, and brake wings projecting-from each of said brake members provided with engaging surfaces adapted to engage the water at different angles.

13. An attachment for h'ydraerop'lanes, comprising a tow line adapted to be secured to the aeroplane, two separable brake members loosely connected to each other and to I said tow line, vertical stabilizing fins and a horizontal stabilizing tail projecting fromv each of said brake members, and brake wings projecting from each of said brake members provided-with engaging surfaces adapted to engage the water at diflerent angles.

14. An attachment for hydraeroplanes, comprising a tow line adapted to be secured to the aeroplane, two separable brake mem- "bers looselyconnected to each other and to said tow line, stabilizing fine projecting from each of said brake members, and brake wings projecting from each of said brake members provided with engaging surfaces adapted to engage the water at different angles, with a shock absorber interposed between said brake members and said aeroplane.

15. An attachment for hydraeroplanes, comprising a tow line adapted to be secured to the aeroplane, two separable brake members loosely connected to each other and to said tow line, vertical stabilizing fins projecting from each of said brake members, and brake wings projecting from each of said brake members provided with engaging surfaces adapted to engage the water at different angles, with a shock absorber interposed between said brake members and said aeroplane.

16. An apparatus for braking aeroplanes, comprising two separable brakes,each provided with stabilizing fins and brake wings, the said brake wings having surfaces adapted to engage the water at dilferent angles, a

bridle connecting said brakes, and a tow line connecting said bridle with the aeroplane. a

17. An apparatus for braking aeroplanes, comprising two separable brakes, each provided with stabilizing fins and brake wings,

the said brake wings having plane engaging surfaces adapted to engage the water at different angles, a bridle connecting said brakes,'and a tow line connecting said bridle with the aeroplane.

18. Anapparatus for braking aeroplanes, comprising two separable brakes, each prowings, the said brake wings haying surfaces adapted to engage the waterat different angles, a bridle connecting said brakes, and

a tow line connecting sald bridle. with the aeroplane, with a shock absorber interposed between said brakes'and said aeroplane.

19. An apparatus for braking aeroplanes, comprising two separable-brakes, each provided with stabilizing fins and brake wings, the said brake wings having plane engaging surfaces adapted to engage the water at different angles, a bridle connecting said brakes, and a tow line connecting said bridle with the aeroplane, with a shock absorber interposed between said brakes and said aeroplane.

20. An attachment for hydraeroplanes, comprising a ,tow line adapted to be secured to the aeroplane, and two separable brakes having stream-line body portions loosely connected to each other and to said tow line, with brake wings projecting from each of said body portions, said wings being provided with engaging surfaces adapted to engage the water at different angles.

21. An attachment for hydraeroplanes, comprising a tow line adapted to be secured 'to the aeroplane, and two separable brakes having stream-line body portions loosely connected to each other and to said tow line, with tabilizing fins and brake wings projecting from each of saidlbody portions, said wings being provided with engaging surfaces adapted to engage the water at different angles.

22. An attachment for hydraeroplanes, comprising a tow line adapted to be secured to the aeroplane, and two separable brakes having stream-line body portions loosely connected to each other and to said tow line, with brake wings projecting from each of said body portions and provided with engaging surfaces adapted to engage the water. at different angles of incidence, with a shock absorber interposed between said brakes and said aeroplane.

23. An attachment for hydraeroplanes, comprising a tow line adapted to be secured to the aeroplane, and two separable brakes having stream-line body portions loosely connected to each other and to said tow line, with stabilizing fins and brake wings projecting'from each of said brakes and said brake wings being provided with engaging surfaces adapted to engage the water at different angles, and with a shock absorber interposed between said brakes and said aeroplane. v 24. An apparatus for braking aeroplanes, comprising two separable brakes having stream-line body. portions, each provided with brake wings, thesaid brake wings havbrakes, and atow line" connecting said bridle with the aeroplane. 7

25. An apparatus for braking aeroplanes, comprising two separable brakes having stream-line bod) portions. each provided with stabilizing fins and brake wings, the said brake wings having surfaces adapted to engage the water at different angles. a bridle connecting said brakes, and a tow line connecting said bridle with the aeroplane.

26. An apparatus for braking aeroplanes, comprising two separable brakes having. strea1n-line portions, each provided with brake wings, the said brake wings having surfaces adapted to engage the water at different angles, a bridle connecting said brakes, and a tow line connecting said bridle with the aeroplane, with a shock absorber intersaid brakes and said aerocomprising two separable brakes having stream-line body portions, each provided with stabilizing fins and brake wings, the said brake wings having surfaces adapted to engagefthe water at different angles, a bridle connecting said brakes, and a tow line connecting said bridle with the aeroplane, with a shock absorber interposed between said brakes and said aeroplane.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses,

/ HENRY (LMUSTIN. Vitnesses: ERNEST WILKINSON, J. E. GILES. 

